SO…here are MY thoughts anyway!  Just about EVERY community has ‘BBQ People’ in it these days, be they Caterers, Restaurants or Competition Teams…they ALL have BIG Smokers, LOTS of knowledge and Suppliers from whom they purchase a LOT or perhaps Sponsors who are ALWAYS looking for some FREE PRESS to get their name out into the community!

Find a local Food Bank or Homeless shelter…it’s NOT hard to do these days.  If you can’t find one…call your local Salvation Army, they typically have kitchens to feed folks who are hungry.  Work WITH them to build a day of education and cooking and then JUST DO IT!  Bring in your gear and food, get a bunch of kids to help out and while doing so, TEACH them how to cook…that can go a LONG way itself!  BBQ is FUN, it’s EASY to learn (incredibly difficult to master…but easy to learn) and it’s ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY!

Get the local press there to see what you are doing!  It brings attention to a horrible problem. (If you need info and/or statistics, once again: www.NoKidHungry.org) It gets your business or BBQ team and your suppliers/sponsors some press and MOST IMPORTANTLY it FEEDS KIDS who NEED it while teaching them to cook for themselves and their family using ‘typically cheaper’ cuts of meat that may help the family budget!

WIN-WIN!!! – Short but purposeful post today…interested in hearing from folks who are already doing this or who’ve got even MORE suggestions about how the BBQ Community can help to end childhood hunger in America! – Have a GREAT week!

As most folks return to work this morning from an extended Holiday Weekend that we have in order to celebrate the sacrifices of many who died to allow us to live the lives that we do in the way we live them…there are crews of BBQ ‘people’, local volunteers, vendors and church volunteers in a College Parking Lot just off I-35 in Moore, OK working 24/7 for a second week to cook hot meals for the residents and rescuers of not just Moore, but all of the surrounding communities that fell victim to mother nature’s wrath in the past few weeks.

As it was prepared to travel to Joplin, MO in order to cook again in celebration of the second anniversary of its founding in a Parking Lot of a Strip Mall, Operation BBQ Relief instead, packed up its equipment and supplies and headed to Moore within 24 hours of the tornado hitting.  They have valiantly set up and provided close to 100,000 hot, BBQ meals so far to the folks who need them the most!  It may be ‘just BBQ’, but to a family who hasn’t eaten a well balanced meal in days it is far more than that.  For folks who are literally waist deep in the process of picking up whatever they can that is left of their lives, not only is it a welcome and selfless gesture…it’s a momentary break from the misery in the aftermath!

Amazingly in two years time, Operation BBQ Relief (www.OperationBBQRelief.org) has gone from a group of ‘BBQ People’ in a parking lot cooking food to a National Disaster Response team with robust capabilities to rapidly deploy, set up, identify needs and donors and make it happen.  This deployment has included extensive local, national and international media coverage.  Once again, the power of BBQ has been demonstrated in the actions of those who cook it and lovingly serve it to their neighbors in need!

OBR is a GREAT organization and good way to get your ‘BBQ friends & family’ involved in helping others.  BUT…it’s not the ONLY way you can help!  Today, thanks to the many TV shows popularizing BBQ and the proliferation of manufacturers cranking out massive smokers and ‘BBQ Rigs’, there are NO shortage of smokers sitting in driveways and in garages across the country.  While natural disasters get all the press and therefore attract the most support, financially and operationally…there are people in America who wake up and go to bed hungry…EVERY day!  1 in 6 children in AMERICA do not get enough to eat on a daily basis and despite the silent heroes who are helping as many of them as possible…the problem persists!  How about connecting with a local food bank and using your smoker and ‘practice cooks’ once a month to provide a nutritious meal to folks who need one in your community?  If you live in a bigger city, there are many chances to help…if you don’t know where to begin, you can start on the No Kid Hungry website: www.nokidhungry.org

OR…if you are able to be self sufficient, have a network of vendors that would be willing to donate on short notice and/or simply would like to help with a Tax Deductible donation: Operation BBQ Relief could really use your help and expertise: www.OperationBBQRelief.org – Just do something…an empty smoker void of smiles isn’t a happy smoker! – Enjoy your week and remember those who gave all in order for us to live free!

Our ‘BBQ Master Class’ series will NOT focus on Competition BBQ…we can refer you to a number of classes that are focused specifically on that taught by Competition ‘regulars’…instead, we will be teaching everything from ‘Basic’ to ‘Advanced’ BBQ Techniques including meat selection and preparations.  Cooking techniques and methods.  Using different fuel sources and more.  We are even offering a class for folks who may be thinking of starting their own BBQ Business!  We promise LOTS of valuable information and the best part is we get to EAT the results of our work at the end of the class!

SO….if you’re looking to learn how to do BBQ the way that the Pros do…we can hook you up!  Stay tuned to the Blog and Website for Dates and Times of classes that we will be doing in cooperation with our good friends at ‘The Pit Shack’ and ‘Coal Cracken’ BBQ’!  http://www.greatq4u.com/BBQ_Classes.html or you can e-mail Jim@GreatQ4U.com

Our Spring, Summer and now Fall catering schedules are about as Full as they are going to get.  We are in the process of making a few changes around here that will limit substantially our ability to help you out this year if you’ve got an event with >100 folks at it!  BUT…we ‘know some guys’…so if you are in or around Central PA and looking to have authentic, wood-smoked BBQ at your upcoming event, give us a call…if we’re not available, we can point you in the direction of some friends who may be able to help and deliver the same quality of service and product that you’ve come to expect from us!

That said, while we are pretty full on the ‘full service’ catering side, we are just winding up a ‘new’ side of the business that allows folks with limited budgets or those just looking to add a TOUCH of something special to their next party!  Our focus on building INCREDIBLE Charcuterie platters and service for Appetizers at parties of all sizes includes access to some of the most INCREDIBLE cured meats and mostly American Artisanal Cheeses!  Additionally, we offer a whole selection of ‘smoked appetizers’ that are the perfect complement to a great party on a limited budget!  We are adding specialties such as ”Armadillo Eggs” and “Bacon Explosions” to our existing Signature Appetizers and new ‘rotisserie cooked’ Chicken Wings!  So…if you’re having a party and simply want an ‘Addition’ to your existing menu that your customers won’t soon forget…e-mail us (info@GreatQ4U.com) or visit us online www.GreatQ4U.com

Our Personal Chef Service continues to grow as well, we will work with clients individually to create menu ‘solutions’ that work for YOU, shop for the ingredients where you typically shop, come to your home and prepare the meals in advance so you can simply ’Heat & Eat’ in any way that you’d like!  Beyond our customized meal plan options that can accommodate any special needs, we can come teach you Basic or Advanced Knife Skills and allow you to try a wide variety of quality Kitchen Cutlery from some of the top manufacturers in the world.  We can help you learn to bake that recipe you’ve always wanted to perfect or even teach you how to save money by buying whole (primal) cuts of meat or chickens and breaking them down at home.

SO…no shortage of stuff to keep us busy around here.  I’ll do my best to keep updating the Blog but if you’re looking for all we’ve got to offer, the website’s always there 24/7 at www.GreatQ4U.com!  Check us out and see how we can help YOU make your next special event even MORE special!

Charcuterie as an Art was created out of necessity and practicality as a way of using as much of the animal as possible and preserving meats in the days before refrigeration.  You’ve more than likely eaten it sometime recently, it includes ‘force meats’ such as Sausage and Hot Dogs, but also applies to Cured and Dried or Smoked products like Salami, Soprasetta, Bacon, Ham…well, you get the point!  It will also include our own line caught, hand cured and traditionally smoked American Salmon and even a few Jerky Options!

SO…keep your eyes peeled on the GreatQ4U! website (www.GreatQ4U.com) and our FaceBook or Twitter feeds for an announcement of an upcoming ‘Charcut-Parti’ where we’ll be tossing out some tasting menus of our favorites for FREE to folks in and around Central PA and simply asking for your feedback in return!  HOPEFULLY, we’ll be having it somewhere where you can either Bring Your Own Wine or have ready access to some tasty local wines!

Thanks for reading along, make what’s left of it a GREAT week!

As with the vast majority of my BBQ Brethren, this time of year REALLY gets my juices flowing!  We clean out the smokers, prepare the outdoor kitchens, work on recipes, disinfect and powerwash the coolers and Cambros and check out the latest in ‘BBQ Gadgets’ on the market!  It’s a BBQ revival and ritual that comes every year, just about this time!

Without question, things are different this time around though…the effects of the Economy evident on the Booking Schedule and in the prices of our raw product!  We are doing MUCH to help out, including creating more cost-effective ways to deliver GreatQ to you and your guests.  We’re expanding menus and adding some incredible options to reach a wider range of customers and we have a REALLY cool chance for folks who want to learn how to do ‘Real Deal’ BBQ to choose a class that meets their specific needs OR take a whole series of classes that will walk you through the whole process!

We are being re-born and can officially call a start to ‘BBQ Season 2013′ and as we approach our 10th Anniversary as a Catering Company…we are thankful for all that we have!  Great customers, incredible followers online, true mentors and of course…Blog readers!  Stay tuned for more thoughts as this ‘Game Keeper’s Thumb’ gets better!  Have a GREAT week and make every day count! – jak

When it does, we WILL be ready for sure!  We’ve been busy working on our menus and Catering options and tuning up the website. (www.GreatQ4U.com)  You’ll find all the latest there, including; Information on our upcoming BBQ Classes, from Basic BBQ to Advanced, Whole Hog and even how to run a successful BBQ Business!  We have created our ‘BBQ Party Packages’ as a way to provide an additional level of economy to folks looking to feed a lot of folks on a ‘budget’…fixed menus and prices cooked to order for you and your guests and delivered right to your location!  We are adding the capability to cook Whole Hogs over Gas with Wood Chips which delivers the same quality that we are known for, but far more cost effectively and much faster…pricing is available on the site.  We are bringing in some INCREDIBLE product from vendors as committed to quality as us, most of which will eventually fall under the title of ‘Charcuterie’ and we are sure that our customers will LOVE it!  Whew…and we’re still awaiting the real arrival of SPRING!

SO…as the phone begins to ring and requests for us to cater events start to fill the inbox, we are ever mindful of our ongoing commitment to quality over quantity!  Regular readers of the Blog will know that it’s a ‘thing’ for me and one that will never waiver!  We have struggled with the current economic conditions and we know that many of our neighbors have as well!  We are doing all that we can to help out by creating more diverse and innovative catering options that are more affordable.  We have LOWERED the prices of the suggested menus in the brochure that you’ll find all over our website and we will work as hard as we can to meet the budget for folks who really want some locally sourced, wood-smoked, cook-to-order BBQ that comes straight to you from the smokers!  BUT…we will never sacrifice quality or our commitment to local suppliers and farms!

If we simply can’t hit your budget for an upcoming event…that doesn’t end our commitment to Customer Service, it just is what it IS and we are always HAPPY to provide additional references for you to reach out to!  I can say that folks are holding off booking their events longer than usual this year (understandably) but when our 400+ square feet of smoker space is filled up…it’s filled up!  SO…if you’re thinking about some GreatQ4U! at an event this year…call soon and lock in your date and space on the smokers…we know you’ll be satisfied with the results!  -  717-254-1937 or online at GreatQ4U.com

We have, since our beginnings, had what we call ‘Beer Can Style’ Chicken on our menus and it’s a very popular selection.  In fact…it was the ONLY way that we did Chicken until I got my first SMACKDOWN in Competition by stubbornly preparing it, breaking it down and nicely presenting it in our turn in box just after Thighs became ‘all the rage’…LAST place!  (For a while, we proudly referred to it as ‘Jim’s Last Place Chicken’)  We don’t actually use Beer, or Beer Cans for that matter and that’s a preference…you can if you like, this is just the way that we do it!

First off, we start with a fairly good sized ’Roaster’…typically around 5lbs.  It’s a bigger bird than most and we find that they hold up well to the ‘Low & Slow’ technique, which we also slightly modify for poultry and I’ll get to that in a bit.  We prep the chicken by working our gloved fingers under all of the skin and gently separating it from the meat.  We do this top and bottom and on the Legs, Thighs and Wings to the extent that we can.  Once this is done, we mix some of our Poultry Rub (a bit more subtle than our pork rub) with Herbes de Provence (you can buy them already mixed or make your own, depending on your tastes) and some Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Some folks use butter and that works well too.  Once we have this slurry mixed up, we take the time necessary to work it under all of the skin throughout the bird and then afterwards, we give the outside of the skin a good rub down to evenly distribute the spices and oil.  By adding the oil, we help distribute the spices, retain moisture in the meat and crisp up the skin.  To further assist in crispy skin, we also give it a good external rub of oil and drizzle with kosher salt.

Now the ‘Beer Can’ or in our case, the lack thereof.  We actually use soup cans which tend to be a bit more robust and hold up better during the long journey on the heat.  Make sure that whatever can you use, it’s well cleaned before you place the bird onto it.  While we don’t truss the birds, we do fold the wingtips under so that they don’t burn.  The cans are filled just over half way with hand made Chicken Stock, salt, pepper and fresh herbs from our garden (when we have them) or market.  We typically use Rosemary, Thyme and Sage and will occasionally add different herbs depending on the mood.  On of the most common ‘variants’ for us is a Lemon or Thai Basil which adds nicely to the end product.

Place the chicken firmly onto the can and off to the smoker for its cook.  We typically use Hickory and Maple for flavor and color.  This is where we depart from our usual (classified) cooking temps!  We actually do cook the chickens right around 225ºF until they are just about done…which to me is when the internal temp of the meat near the thigh hits around 150ºF.  Then we crank up to a higher heat…somewhere over 350ºF to crisp up the skin, finish off the cooking process and infuse even more of the herbs from the stock throughout the chicken.  When the internal temp of the Chicken hits around 170ºF at the deepest spots in 2 places…it comes off the heat, still on the can and gets a foil wrap all around.  We let them rest for 10-15 minutes and then serve.

On our menus as with many other BBQ folks, we offer ‘Pulled Chicken’ and that is primarily as a time saver.  I don’t personally prefer to pull it after putting all this work into it because that tends to dry it out pretty quickly.  I think that the best way to serve it is to get it off the can and carve it as you would any other bird, leaving the Wings and Legs for those who love them.  As with all recipes…it takes practice and can be modified to include any ingredients that you prefer instead of ours!  Also, if you are so inclined, you can use a brine for about 24 hours.  We don’t because the heavier roasters tend to hold up well to the smoke and the moisture from the Chicken Stock keeps them nice and juicy!

SO…there you go, some GreatQ4U! Beer Can ‘Style’ Chicken!  Enjoy!

As a kid, growing up in Pittsburgh, I had a pretty funny perception of what “BBQ” was in contrast to my knowledge today.  Back THEN…I thought of what I now call “BBQ” as “Pulled Pork” because that was all I knew of it!  In my hometown we were fortunate enough to have Isaly’s, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaly’s) which were a Restaurant/Dairy chain that was started in Ohio and they had many outlets in Western PA.  Many folks know of their most famous legacy…the Klondike Bar, which survives today in a variety of forms, all of which are considerably thinner than the originals!  Another thing that Isaly’s was famous for in ‘The Burgh’ was ‘Chipped Ham’…a concept that was entirely foreign when I arrived in Central PA at the turn of the Seventies into the Eighties.  It started with an incredible cooked ‘deli ham’ that was then sliced so thin that it didn’t come off the ‘log’ in full slices…you could also call it ‘shaving’ the meat, but it was ‘chipped’ where I came from.  It took years & a fair amount of migration from Western PA for the groceries in Central PA to learn to do the technique correctly!

SO…why do I spend so much time talking about ‘Chipped Ham’ in a BBQ Blog?  Well…THAT’s what I associated with BBQ until arriving in the Harrisburg area in the early eighties.  You see, ‘Ham BBQ’ was (and still is) an INCREDIBLE treat that comes from starting off with what many would associate with a traditional ‘pan BBQ sauce’ cooked in a pot on the stove using a LOT of ingredients from Western PA.  You start with Heinz Ketchup and then add in whatever ingredients your family used….ours included; brown sugar, Welch’s Grape Jelly, Lemon Juice, Worcestershire sauce and Heinz Sweet Relish.  Bring the whole mixture to a boil and then add in the Chipped Ham.  Cook it all together for a while and the combination of flavors all mix together into a VERY TASTY Ham BBQ which is best served on two slices of white bread.  It’s hot and messy and burns your mouth, but it is a VERY tasty treat and what I knew ‘BBQ’ to be from my youngest years.

Then we moved from Western PA to Central PA and I can still remember the VERY FIRST time that I ordered a ‘BBQ Sandwich’ in a restaurant!  It was a SLOPPY JOE!!!  Ground meat in a sauce that was VERY similar to that mix from a can!  I couldn’t believe that this was considered BBQ and it was perhaps my endoctrination to the regional differences associated with such a simple term!  When you asked for HAM BBQ…people looked at you like you were from another planet! (Same for ‘Chipped Ham’ for many years)  To this day, you will only rarely come across the regional delicacy that I know NOW to be ‘Ham BBQ’ sandwiches.  AND…they STILL call Sloppy Joe’s ‘BBQ’ here in Central PA, although word is spreading that there’s more to it than THAT!

Fast forward many years and more than a few failed ‘BBQ Restaurant’ concepts and I thought I would learn the art of ‘Real Deal’, wood-smoked BBQ!  Why?  Well…because I could recall those ‘Pulled Pork’ sandwiches that I used to eat on the way to the beaches of North Carolina when I was a kid and more importantly, I remember specifically the old Pitmaster at the ‘shack’ we would typically stop at and I was ready to see if I could reproduce his product…I am still working at it, but I’ve gotten pretty good!   It was (at the time) a dying American ‘Art’ and I thought I could help to preserve it!  There were no National BBQ Organizations or Competitions back then and ‘Food TV’ was limited to PBS and folks like Justin Wilson (The Cajun Chef) and Graham Kerr (formerly the Galloping Gourmet) who was WAY ahead of the healthy food curve!

As I chose my equipment and taught myself to ‘do BBQ’, I began with a sauce.  It took nearly two years and TONS of attempts to come up with MY version of an Eastern North Carolina Vinegar sauce that was uniquely my own.  Next I researched smokers and took into consideration the 60+ hours a week that I was working as a Paramedic back then and ultimately chose Pellet Smokers.  Now…here’s where the ‘Stick’ and ‘Coal’ burning BBQ folks like to make fun of me, but once again…that’s a topic for another Blog…I can crank out some REALLY GOOD, wood smoked product from my rigs because I’ve put in the hours and learned how to use them…just like whatever gear you choose to do your BBQ with!

Fast forward to today and a BBQ Catering Operation that finds itself facing the challenges of the current economy and the proliferation of other ‘BBQ Caterers’ and restaurants who have their own approaches to doing BBQ.  I started out doing WAY more Competition that Catering and I loved it because, while that Vinegar sauce rarely earned me respect from the Judges, I always learned a great deal at Competitions from my fellow competitors!  Then…as word got around, folks just started to ask me to cater events and one thing lead to another…so here we are!  We are a ‘Full Service’ BBQ Catering Operation with a LOT to offer customers in and around Central PA and an ever evolving mix of products to put on the table!

No matter what our customers needs, we are committed to listening, understanding and working hard to exceed them!  We have been and always will be committed to sourcing most of our products from local farms and markets and when we do source from outside PA, we do it because of our relationships with incredible sources who are as committed as we are to tradition and quality.  We offer everything from Event Planning, Delivery, Full Service Buffets to our new Whole Hog Roasts (reference yesterday’s post) and Charcuterie catering options that feature all American Meats and Cheeses that rival any of their European counterparts!  We remain committed to each and every customer as if they were our only one and we will NEVER sacrifice the quality of our product in order to make a dollar!

And it ALL started way back when I thought Isaly’s Chipped Ham, mixed in a pot on the stove with a mish mash of ingredients was ‘BBQ’…wow, what a long, strange trip it has been!  Want to know what we can do for you?  Visit us online at www.GreatQ4U.com and we’ll be happy to help any way that we can!

Yet another day of explaining the difference between two different cooking methods intermingled with a somewhat subjective history lesson to bring attention to our new service offering!  You see, the ‘Pig Pickin’ is a true celebration of the Hog, Family and Friends.  It is something that can be found throughout the South, but is particularly associated with North Carolina.  Our version of said celebration omits the killing of the Hog at sunrise and dispenses with the preparation of the offal (innards and organs) by the folks participating in the party.  Traditionally, every part of the hog is used in some capacity and attendees who have a particular specialty are tasked with creating something out of part of the hog.  We simply pay homage to the concept by using our ‘Low & Slow’, wood smoking technique. (Reference yesterday’s post)

By cooking the Hog Low & Slow over 100% Hickory, we give a healthy nod to tradition and do our best to be a part of the celebration in a meaningful way.  It involves arriving the day before and setting up shop, prepping the hog for the smoke and cooking it in a traditional way with only ONE turn during the whole cooking process.  We serve the hog whole and let folks ‘pick’ off of it whatever they like.  Nose to tail, it’s all available and at the end of a real Pig Pickin’…it’s all gone!  Not for everybody on a variety of levels, but a great way to celebrate family and friends as well as the life and sacrifice of the hog!

There’s the short version of the story which is mostly what we have to explain to folks who call us up looking for a ‘Pig Roast’ and thinking that it’s a one day, inexpensive way to feed a crowd!  Of course, there’s no such thing as ‘inexpensive QUALITY‘ so we talk a bit about local sourcing and our commitment to doing it right based on years of experience and age old methods of prepping and cooking too.  BUT…we still wind up referring a LOT of potential customers to other folks who do ‘just hog roasts’ for a living!  many of these folks use charcoal at high heat and cook the whole hog in a matter of hours not a whole day.  We simply haven’t had that ability…until NOW!

We are adding a number of Hog Roasters to our capabilities and will be able to accommodate Pig Roasts of all types and sizes!  From a 30-40 person party to 300+ folks we have found a way to deliver the quality that you’re used to from GreatQ4U! and do it in a much more efficient and cost-effective manner!  Our new ‘Whole Hog Roasts’ take advantage of higher heat cooking techniques using the same locally sourced hogs to deliver a number of options from Delivery and Drop off in a thermally insulated container to a Full Service Buffet with the addition of our home made sides.  Much more information and an Estimate Request form are available on our website: http://www.greatq4u.com/Whole_Hog_Roasts.html

Of course, if you’d like more information or would like to discuss your specific needs, you can always call us at 717-254-1937 or e-mail Info@GreatQ4U.com and we will be happy to help!